Leslie Lemke facts for kids

Leslie Lemke, born on January 31, 1952, is an amazing American musician. He is known as a savant, which means he has incredible special abilities, especially with music. Leslie is blind and has faced many challenges, but his musical talent is truly extraordinary.

Leslie's Early Life and Challenges

Leslie Lemke was born too early in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1952. Because he was born so early, he had serious eye problems. Doctors had to remove his eyes when he was just a few months old. He also had some brain damage, which led to cerebral palsy. This condition affected his movements and made it hard for him to learn things.

Leslie's birth mother gave him up for adoption. A kind nurse named May Lemke decided to take care of him. Doctors thought Leslie might not live long, but May was determined to help him.

Learning to Grow and Connect

Taking care of Leslie was very hard at first. May had to put food on his tongue and gently rub his throat to help him swallow. It took a whole year before Leslie could chew food on his own. For many years, he needed constant care.

Leslie could sing a little and repeat some words he heard. But he didn't talk much and seemed distant. He could repeat exactly what he heard, even the tone of voice. For example, he once repeated, "Foster mother has done well, but the time will come when institutional placement will be necessary."

May also helped Leslie learn to walk. She was about four and a half feet tall, and Leslie was much taller. She created a special strap system to support him as they walked together. He was 12 years old before he could stand by himself, and 15 before he could walk.

Discovering a Musical Gift

When Leslie was 7, May and her husband Joe got a piano for him. May would place her hands over Leslie's to help him play simple tunes. Soon, Leslie started playing these tunes by himself. He also learned to play other instruments like drums, the accordion, and a chord organ.

Music Overcomes Challenges

Even though Leslie's spasticity (a type of muscle stiffness from cerebral palsy) was so severe that he couldn't hold a fork, this problem disappeared when he played the piano. His hands moved freely and beautifully. By age 12, Leslie was playing the piano and singing songs he had heard for hours.

One night, when Leslie was about 16, his foster parents woke up to amazing music. Leslie was playing Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 perfectly. He had only heard it once on television that night! After that, Leslie began playing all kinds of music, from ragtime to classical.

An Incredible Musical Memory

Leslie could remember and play any song perfectly after hearing it just one time. He knew countless songs. Two Christian hymns he often sang were "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace".

As time went on, Leslie became more talkative and even more skilled at music. He also became more creative and witty. After playing a song he had heard, he would sometimes make up his own version of it. He was also known to compose new songs on the spot, singing them in his baritone voice.

Sharing His Talent with the World

By 1980, Leslie began giving concerts regularly in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His amazing talent made him famous. He was invited to appear on many television shows, including Man Alive (in Canada), the CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, and That's Incredible!

In 1983, the ABC made a TV movie about Leslie and his adoptive mother called The Woman Who Willed a Miracle. The famous actress Cloris Leachman played May Lemke. Leslie is also the subject of a song called "Leslie is Different" by Fred Small.

Leslie has traveled around the United States, Scandinavia, and Japan, giving free concerts to many people. His adoptive mother, May Lemke, passed away on November 6, 1993.

See also

In Spanish: Leslie Lemke para niños

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